Andrew Mosane is the Gauteng provincial secretary for Treatment Action Campaign (TAC). Founded in 1998, the organisation advocates care and support services for people living with HIV/Aids and campaigns to reduce new infections and increase access to treatment.

Four months after losing his mother to Aids, Mosane found out he too was HIV positive. "The information and treatment available was extremely poor, due in part to the previous health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who recommended olive oil, lemon, beetroot and the African potato to treat the symptoms.

"The amount of information and help available now compared to when I was diagnosed shows how far we have come. However, the problem still remains that people are not aware of those policies and that is where we target our resources," he says.

TAC has become the leading civil force behind comprehensive healthcare services for people living with HIV and Aids in South Africa and their work has benefitted thousands. That cannot be sustained without help, however. "We need volunteers who are willing to sacrifice their time and energy to save people's lives," Mosane enthuses.

"Tell people if you are infected," he says. "If we all speak out together there will be no shame, only understanding and acceptance."